Martinsburg herald. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1881-1920, 1887-04-23
THE COMING REVOLUTION.

Ihe temperance question is des-
tined to cause a political revolution
in the South. 1t will divide the
white and colored vote, and by this
division the colored voter will have
a chance to cast his ballot and have
it counted as cast. Each side will
see to this, and with the whites
equally divided, there will be no toll
GRANGE of ballot box stuffing or bull
doing at the polls. In Texas we
notice that the most prominent
Democrats in that State have taken
opposite sides. This means that all
the voters will be protected in their
right to vote, for on question which
appeals SO strongly to the emotions
and to the moral sense, determined
struggle will be made for success.
When this is the case, the prejudices
OF race in politics will be made Sec
ondary, and every man legally quail
fed to vote will be sustained in the
exercise of that right. 1t will cause,
also, modification or removal of the
restrictions upon the ballot, which
exist by statute in some of the South
ern States, enacted to disfranchise
the colored man. His vote will be
courted and striyen for by contend
ing factions, dominated by white
men, and each will vie with the 9th
er to see that justice is melted out to
all classes without regard to race,
color or previous condition. In South
Carolina, North Carolina, Mississip
pi, Alabama and Georgia the same
conditions will exist, and in Bourbon
ridden Kentucky the Democratic
lines will be shattered by the injec-
ton of the temperance issue. Ten.
nessee and Virginia will come under
the same disturbing influence, and
all along the lines of the solid South,
the premonitions of dissolving fac
lions will be manifest ere the close
of 1887.
We hail such promise as the har.
binger of purer politics, more honest
methods, and more righteous results.
The people have become disguised
and their patience exhausted with
the injustice and barbarism of the
race issue. They are anxious for a
change in this respect and will cheer
fully accept any honest and legiti-
mate diversion from the old routine
of politics which will be observed in
the conduct of elections. 1t is the
only way we now see for the cOlored
voter to have his rights recognized
and respected. Once the precedent
established and the Justice of it i'm
pressed, it will be beyond the power
of any demagogue or debauched
politician, to revive the prejudices
which have so long controlled our
political contests and brought so
much distrust upon the Southern
people. Itwould be departure and
n revolution that every we'll wisher
of the Southland ought to encour-
age, and especially every Republi-
can; for in it is the most rational
hope of securing an impartial con
sideration of the principles and poll.
cies of the party. Emancipated from
crystalized prejudices by reason OF
practical cooperation in common
cause, the popular mind would be
free to acknowledge and concede
the right and the duty of every man
to vote his sentiments, and have his
ballot counted as cast. Bourbonism
would be shelved forever, and the
new South would be the South free
from the domination of unreasoning
passion and incorrigible hate. Let
the revolution come. 1t has in it
nothing but what will contribute to
the peace, progress, prosperity and
happiness of the Southern people,
Valley Virginian.